The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Last 5 news

Monday, February 28, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 26 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI received participants in the annual meeting of the Pontifical Academy for Life, led by their new president, Bishop Ignacio Carrasco de Paula.

The question of post-abortion syndrome, which is being examined by the assembly, reveals, said the Pope "the irrepressible voice of moral conscience and the terrible wound it suffers each time a human action betrays the human being's innate vocation to good".

"In your reflections it would also be helpful to focus attention on the sometimes-clouded conscience of the children's fathers, who often abandon pregnant women", he explained. "Moral conscience has the duty to discern good from evil in the various situations of life so that, on the basis of this judgement, human beings can freely orient themselves towards what is good. To people who would deny the existence of moral conscience in man, reducing its voice to the result of external conditioning or to a purely emotive phenomenon, it is important to highlight that the moral nature of human action is not an extrinsic or optional value, nor is a prerogative only of Christians and believers; rather, it unites all mankind. Through moral conscience God speaks to each of us, inviting us to defend human life at all times, and in this personal bond with the Creator lies the profound dignity of moral conscience and the reason for its inviolability".

"Doctors", the Holy Father went on, "must not fail in their serious duty to ensure that women's consciences are not tricked into believing that abortion will resolve family, economic and social difficulties, or the health problems of their child. In this latter situation in particular, women are often convinced, at times by the doctors themselves, that abortion represents not only a morally acceptable choice but even a 'therapeutic' act necessary to avoid suffering for the child and its family, and to remove an 'unjust' burden from society. In a cultural context characterised by an eclipse of the meaning of life, in which the shared perception of the moral gravity of abortion and others forms of attacks against human life has been attenuated, doctors are called to show particular fortitude in continuing to affirm that abortion resolves nothing; rather it kills the child, destroys the woman and blinds the conscience of the child's father, often devastating family life.

"However", the Pope added, "this duty concerns not only the medical profession and healthcare workers; society as a whole must defend the conceived child's right to life and the true good of the woman who can never, in any circumstances, find fulfilment in the decision to abort. In the same way it is important ... to ensure that the necessary help is not lacking for women who, having unfortunately already chosen the path of abortion, are now experiencing all its moral and existential consequences. There are initiatives, at a diocesan level or by individual volunteer organisations, which offer psychological and spiritual support for a full recovery. The solidarity of the Christian community must not abandon this kind of shared responsibility".

The Pope then turned his attention to the second question being examined by the annual meeting of the Pontifical Academy for Life: the use of stem cells from the umbilical cord.

"This has important clinical applications", he said, "and is a promising form of scientific research; however its realisation depends to a large extent on the generosity of donating cord blood at the moment of childbirth, and on adapting structures in order to make the mothers' desire to donate viable. I invite you, then, to promote genuine and well-informed human and Christian solidarity", he said.

In closing Benedict XVI referred to the concern of many researchers regarding the increasing number of private cord blood banks for autologous use. "This option", he said, "apart from having no greater scientific merit than the donation of cord blood, weakens that genuine spirit of solidarity which must constantly animate the search for that common good, towards which, in the final analysis, science and medical research are striving".
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VATICAN CITY, 26 FEB 2011 (VIS) - Made public today was a Letter from the Pope addressed to His Beatitude Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir for the occasion of his resignation from the office of patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon.

The Holy Father notes how "the year consecrated to the 1600th anniversary of the death of St. Maron is drawing to a close. The Maronite Church has experienced a period of grace in this exceptional Jubilee Year, which has also been the coronation of your own service for the greater glory of God and for the good of all your faithful".

"For nearly twenty-five years", Benedict XVI writes, "you worked with your two predecessors in the See of Antioch before being elected by the Synod to succeed them on 19 April 1986. ... You began your noble ministry of patriarch of the Maronites amidst the torment of the war which bloodied the face of Lebanon for so many years. With the ardent desire for peace in your country, you led the Church and travelled the world to console those obliged to emigrate. Finally, peace returned, ever fragile but still extant".

The Holy Father recalls John Paul II's visit to Beirut in 1997 to sign the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "A new hope for Lebanon" which, Pope Benedict writes, "re-emphasised your Church's constant bond with Peter's Successor". The Letter also mentions Cardinal Sfeir's participation in the 2010 Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, as president delegate "ad honorem".

"You have chosen to resign from your office as patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites in this special circumstance, and I accept your free and magnanimous decision as an expression of great humility and profound detachment", says the Pope. "I am sure", he concludes, "that you will always accompany the journey of the Maronite Church with your prayers, your wise counsel and your sacrifice".
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VATICAN CITY, 27 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below.

He commented on today's reading from the Prophet Isaiah who, consoling Jerusalem afflicted by calamities says: "Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you".

This phrase, said the Pope, is "a call to trust in the indefectible love of God", as is the episode in the Gospel of St. Matthew in which Jesus exhorts His disciples "to trust in the providence of the heavenly Father, Who nourishes the birds of the air, clothes the lilies of the field and knows our every need. Thus the Master says: 'Do not worry, saying: What will we drink? or: What will we wear? For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things?'

"Faced with the situation of so many people who, near and far, live in dire poverty, these words of Jesus may seem unrealistic, even evasive", the Holy Father added. "Yet in fact the Lord wants us to understand clearly that we cannot serve two masters: God and money. Those who believe in God, the Father full of love for His children, give priority to seeking His Kingdom and His will. This is the exact opposite of fatalism. ... Faith in Providence, does not, in fact, dispense us from the arduous struggle of living a dignified life, but frees us from our attachment to things and our fear of the morrow".

And he went on: "Clearly this teaching of Jesus, while it remains true and valid for everyone, is practiced in different ways depending on our different vocations: A Franciscan friar may follow it more radically, while a family man will have to take account of his duties towards his wife and children. Yet in all cases Christians stand out for their absolute faith in the heavenly Father, just like Jesus" Who "showed us what it means to live with our feet firmly planted on the ground, attentive to the real situation of our neighbours and, at the same time, with our hearts in heaven, immersed in God's mercy".

Finally the Pope called on the Virgin Mary to intercede "that we may all learn to live a more simple and sober life, working hard every day and respecting the creation which God entrusted to our care".
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VATICAN CITY, 28 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"Today, Monday 28 February, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Jerzey Buzek, president of the European Parliament. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"The discussions, which took place in a cordial atmosphere, provided an opportunity for a fruitful exchange of opinions concerning relations between the Catholic Church, the European Parliament and other European institutions, as well as the contribution the Church can make to the Union.

"In the course of the meeting attention also turned to questions of current affairs, such as commitment to promoting religious freedom and the protection of Christian minorities in the world".
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VATICAN CITY, 28 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI received participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications who are currently meeting to reflect on the question of language and new technology.

The Pope noted how "ideas and relations are always part of the modality of language, understood, naturally, in a broad and not only a verbal sense". In this context he affirmed that "the new languages being developed in digital communications lead, among other things, to capacities that are more intuitive and emotional than analytical, tending towards a different logical organisation of our ideas and our relationship with reality, often privileging images and hypertextual links".

"The risks involved are, of course, visible to everyone: the loss of inner depth, superficiality in relationships, the flight into emotionalism, the prevalence of the most convincing opinion over the desire for truth. This is the consequence of an incapacity to experience, fully and authentically, the significance of the new innovations, and hence the vital importance of reflecting on the languages developed by modern technology".

Going on then to refer to "digital culture" and the challenges the ecclesial and civil communities have to face in this field, the Holy Father highlighted how "it is not just a question of expressing the Gospel message in modern language, but also of having the courage to give more profound consideration, as happened in other ages, to the relationship between the faith, the life of the Church and the transformations mankind is experiencing". Whence arises "the importance of helping people in positions of responsibility in the Church to understand, interpret and speak the 'new language' of the mass media in their pastoral functions, interacting with the modern world and asking themselves what challenges does so-called 'digital thought' place before faith and theology? What questions does it raise, what requirements does it impose?"

After then highlighting how "digital culture challenges our capacity to speak and listen to a symbolic language of transcendence", the Pope noted that "today we are called to discover, also in digital culture, symbols and significant metaphors which may be of help in speaking of the Kingdom of God to modern man".

"The appeal to spiritual values", the Pope concluded, "will facilitate the promotion of a truly human form of communication. Over and above any facile enthusiasm or scepticism, we know that this is a response to the call imprinted into our nature as beings created in the image and likeness of the God of communion. ... The contribution made by believers can, then, be useful to the world of the mass media, opening horizons of meaning and value which digital culture alone is incapable of seeing or representing".
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- Appointed Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, as a counsellor of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

- Appointed Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, archbishop of San Cristobal de La Habana, Cuba, as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Riobamba, Ecuador, presented by Bishop Victor Alejandro Corral Mantilla, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Stefano Di Pinto, official of the Office of Pension Funds, as director of the same office.

- Appointed Stefano Loreti, bureau chief in the Ordinary Section of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), as director for a five-year period of APSA's "Area for Controlling Management and Procedures".

- Appointed Francesco Anastasi, official of the Extraordinary Section of APSA, as bureau chief of the Ordinary Section of APSA.

- Appointed Roberto Carulli and Stefano Lori, officials of the Ordinary Section of APSA, as bureau chiefs in the Extraordinary Section of APSA.

On Saturday 26 February it was made public that the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the office of patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon, presented by Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, in accordance with canon 126 para. 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
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Friday, February 25, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 25 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At 11.30 a.m. on Friday 4 March a press conference will be held in the Holy See Press Office to present the "Lineamenta", or preparatory document, for the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is due to be held in the Vatican from 7 to 28 October 2012 on the theme: "The new evangelisation for the transmission of the Christian faith".

The conference will be presented by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic and Msgr. Fortunato Frezza, respectively secretary general and under secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
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- Four prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles of Lipa.

- Archbishop Romulo G. Valles of Zamboanga.

- Archbishop Jesus A. Dosado C.M. of Ozamiz.

- Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma S.J. of Cagayan de Oro.

- Bishop Pierre Morissette of Saint-Jerome, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, accompanied by Archbishop Richard William Smith of Edmonton, vice president, and by Msgr. Patrick Power, secretary general.

This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.
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- Appointed Msgr. Giuseppe Pellegrini, vicar general of Verona, Italy, as bishop of Concordia-Pordenone (area 2,675, population 359,334, Catholics 351,580, priests 306, permanent deacons 16, religious 305), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Monteforte d'Alpone, Italy in 1953 and ordained a priest in 1979. He succeeds Bishop Ovidio Poletto, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. William J. Waltersheid of the clergy of the diocese of Harrisburg, U.S.A., vicar for clergy and religious life, as auxiliary of the diocese of Pittsburgh (area 9,722, population 1,963,000, Catholics 803,000, priests 482, permanent deacons 42, religious 1,316), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Ashland, U.S.A. in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1992.
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Thursday, February 24, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 24 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"Today in the Apostolic Palace the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Michel Sleiman, president of the Republic of Lebanon. The president subsequently went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"The cordial discussions served to highlight how Lebanon, because of the presence of various Christian and Muslim communities there, stands as a message of freedom and respectful coexistence, not only for the region but for the whole world. In this context, it is increasingly necessary to promote collaboration and dialogue between religious confessions.

"Attention then turned to the importance of civil and religious authorities being committed to educating consciences in peace and reconciliation, and the hope was expressed that the formation of the new government may favour the desired stability of the nation, which is called to face important internal and international challenges.

"The talks then dwelt on the situation in the Middle East, with particular reference to recent events in certain Arab States, with the parties expressing their shared conviction that it is vital to resolve the ongoing conflicts in the region.

"Finally, particular attention was given to the delicate situation of Christians in the entire region, and to the contribution they can make for the good of society as a whole".
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VATICAN CITY, 24 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The programme of Benedict XVI's forthcoming pastoral visit to the diocese of San Marino - Montefeltro has been published. The event is due to take place on Sunday 19 June.

The Pope will depart from the Vatican by helicopter at 8 a.m., landing at Torraccia airport in the Republic of San Marino at 9.15 a.m. At 10 a.m. he will preside at a concelebration of the Eucharist then pray the Angelus in the Olympic stadium of Serravalle.

The Holy Father will then travel to Valdragone where he will have lunch with the organisers of his visit and with members of the "John Paul II" International Foundation.

That afternoon he will begin his official visit to the Republic, travelling to San Marino's Piazza della Liberta where he will be greeted by Captains Regent Giovanni Francesco Ugolini and Andrea Zafferani.

He will then go on to meet with members of the government, the congress and the diplomatic corps, to whom he will deliver an address. Finally the Pope will visit the basilica of San Marino to venerate the relics of St. Marinus.

At 6.30 p.m. the Holy Father will travel by helicopter to Pennabilli in the Italian province of Rimini where he will visit the cathedral and meet with young people of the diocese.

Finally, the Pope will return by helicopter to the Vatican, where he is due to land at 9 p.m.
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- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Berlin, Germany, presented by Cardinal Georg Maximilian Sterzinsky, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen, Germany, also as military ordinary for Germany.

- Appointed Fr. Helmut Dieser of the clergy of the diocese of Trier, Germany, pastor of Adenau, Dumpelfeld, Kaltenborn and Kaltenborn-Herschbach, as auxiliary of Trier (area 12,870, population 2,484,000, Catholics 1,525,000, priests 1005, permanent deacons 166, religious 2,302). The bishop-elect was born in Neuwied, Germany in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1989.

- Appointed Fr. Eugenio Andres Lira Rugarcia of the clergy of the archdiocese of Puebla, Mexico, president of the archdiocesan commission for the pastoral care of communications; and Fr. Dagoberto Sosa Arriaga, episcopal vicar for pastoral care, as auxiliaries of Puebla (area 20,932, population 4,664,000, Catholics 4,339,000, priests 585, permanent deacons 1, religious 1,121). Bishop-elect Lira Rugarcia was born in Puebla in 1965 and ordained a priest in 1991. Bishop-elect Sosa Arriaga was born in La Loma, Mexico in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1983.
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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 23 FEB 2011 (VIS) - Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis during this morning's general audience, held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 7,500 people, to St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), an outstanding figure of a troubled age in which "a serious political and religious crisis provoked a split between entire nations and the Holy See".

St. Robert Bellarmine, following an excellent cultural and humanistic education, entered the Society of Jesus in 1560. He studied in Rome, Padua and Leuven and was later made cardinal and archbishop of Capua, Italy. He held high office in the service of the Pope as a member of several congregations and head of Holy See diplomatic missions to Venice and England. During his final years he wrote a number of books on spirituality in which he condensed the fruits of his annual spiritual exercises. He was beatified and canonised by Pope Pius XI, who also declared him a Doctor of the Church.

"His 'Controversial Works' or 'Disputationes' are still a valid point of reference for Catholic ecclesiology", said the Holy Father. "They emphasise the institutional aspect of the Church, in response to the errors then circulating on that topic. Yet Bellarmine also threw light on invisible aspects of the Church as Mystical Body, which he explained using the analogy of the body and soul, in order to describe the relationship between the interior richness of the Church and her visible exterior features.

"In this monumental work, which seeks to categorise the various theological controversies of the age, he avoids polemical and aggressive tones towards the ideas of the Reformation but, using the arguments of reason and of Church Tradition, clearly and effectively illustrates Catholic doctrine.

"Nonetheless", the Pope added, "his true heritage lies in the way in which he conceived his work. His burden of office did not, in fact, prevent him from striving daily after sanctity through faithfulness to the requirements of his condition as religious, priest and bishop. ... His preaching and catechesis reveal that same stamp of essentiality which he learned from his Jesuit education, being entirely focused on concentrating the power of the soul on the Lord Jesus, intensely known, loved and imitated".

In another of his books, "De gemitu columbae" in which the Church is represented as a dove, Robert Bellarmine "forcefully calls clergy and faithful to a personal and concrete reform of their lives, in accordance with the teachings of Scripture and the saints. ... With great clarity and the example of his own life, he clearly teaches that there can be no true reform of the Church unless this is first preceded by personal reform and conversion of heart on our part".

"If you are wise, then understand that you were created for the glory of God and for your eternal salvation", said the Pope quoting from one of the saint's works. "Favourable or adverse circumstances, wealth and poverty, health and sickness, honour and offence, life and death, the wise must neither seek these things, nor seek to avoid them per se. They are good and desirable only if they contribute to the glory of God and to your eternal happiness, they are bad and to be avoided if they hinder this".

The Pope concluded: "These words have not gone out of fashion, but should be meditated upon at length in order to guide our journey on this earth. They remind us that the goal of our life is the Lord. ... They remind us of the importance of trusting in God, of living a life faithful to the Gospel, and of accepting all the circumstances and all actions of our lives, illuminating them with faith and prayer".

Before today's audience, the Holy Father blessed a statue of St. Maron, founder of the Maronite Church which is particularly widespread in Lebanon and Syria. The 4.5-metre high Carrara-marble statue, which has been placed in the last empty niche on the outside wall of the Vatican Basilica, is the work of Spanish sculptor Marco Augusto Duenas.

Among those present at the ceremony were His Beatitude Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites; Michel Sleiman, president of the Republic of Lebanon, and various religious and civil authorities.
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VATICAN CITY, 23 FEB 2011 (VIS) - During today's general audience, the Pope recalled how "a new and powerful earthquake, even more devastating than the one last September, has struck the city of Christchurch, in New Zealand, causing considerable loss of life and the disappearance of many people, to say nothing of the damage to buildings.

"At this time", the Holy Father added, "my thoughts turn especially to the people there who are being severely tested by this tragedy. Let us ask God to relieve their suffering and to support all who are involved in the rescue operations. I also ask you to join me in praying for all who have lost their lives".
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VATICAN CITY, 23 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household today released a communique announcing that, at the invitation of National Association of Italian Families of Martyrs who Fell for the Freedom of the Homeland (ANFIM), the Holy Father will make a private visit to the monument at Rome's "Fosse Ardeatine" on Sunday 27 March, the sixty-seventh anniversary of the massacre there.

The Ardeatine massacre was carried out by German occupying forces in Rome on 24 March 1944. Three hundred and thirty-five Italian civilians and military personnel were summarily executed in reprisal for a bomb attack the previous day against a group of German troops in Rome's Via Rasella.
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VATICAN CITY, 23 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Brasilia, Brazil, presented by Bishop Francisco de Paula Victor, upon having reached the age limit.
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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 22 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present the 2011 Lenten Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI. The title of this year's Message is: "You were buried with Him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with Him".

Participating in today's conference were Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"; Msgr. Giampietro Dal Toso and Msgr. Segundo Tejado Munoz, respectively secretary and under secretary of the same council, and Myriam Garcia Abrisqueta, president of the Spanish association "Manos unidas".

Referring to the bonds between Baptism and charity, which the Holy Father emphasises in his Message, Cardinal Sarah affirmed that "in the face of the very real suffering that we encounter on a global level ... we are obliged to seek out concrete solutions to alleviate misery. ... But Christ founded the Church to give much more. Suffering, both global and personal, ... requires an answer that only the possession of eternal life can give", as promised by Baptism. The new nature received in Baptism "is the source of specific deeds of charity on behalf of our brothers and sisters", he explained.

The president of "Cor Unum" then went on to identify three elements of the Holy Father's message which, he said, represent "a road map to rekindle the supernatural life that was given to us in Baptism". Firstly, the Pope "fixes for us concrete appointments with specific persons and events on the five Sundays of Lent. He puts before us the Word of God proclaimed on those Sundays. By doing so, he wishes us to experience a personal encounter with Christ, the answer to the deepest longings of the human person and the world". Secondly, "the encounter with Christ in His Word and the Sacraments manifests itself in concrete works of mercy". Finally, Lent is presented to us as "a path or journey, a span of time to bring to fruition the seed planted at Baptism".

For her part, the president of "Manos unidas" recalled how "more than fifty years ago the women of the World Union of Female Catholic Organisations launched an appeal for attention to be given to hunger in the world. In a beautiful expression of 'feminine genius' in the Church they published a manifesto, ... inspired by their nature, as mothers, to give and protect life; and as Catholic women called by Jesus Christ 'to bear witness to a universal and effective love for the human family'".

"From the very beginning", she concluded, "they understood that they had to struggle against hunger: hunger for bread, hunger for culture and hunger for God. ... In this way this organisation of the Church in Spain has stood alongside men and women in more than sixty countries through some 25,000 development projects".

VATICAN CITY, 22 FEB 2011 (VIS) - Made public today was the 2011 Lenten Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI. The text, dated 4 November 2010, has as its title a passage from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians: "You were buried with Him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with Him". Extracts from the English-language version of the document are given below:

"The fact that, in most cases, Baptism is received in infancy highlights how it is a gift of God: no one earns eternal life through their own efforts. The mercy of God, which cancels sin and, at the same time, allows us to experience in our lives 'the mind of Christ Jesus', is given to men and women freely".

"Hence, Baptism is not a rite from the past, but the encounter with Christ, which informs the entire existence of the baptised, imparting divine life and calling for sincere conversion; initiated and supported by Grace, it permits the baptised to reach the adult stature of Christ.

"A particular connection binds Baptism to Lent as the favourable time to experience this saving Grace. ... In fact, the Church has always associated the Easter Vigil with the celebration of Baptism. ... This free gift must always be rekindled in each one of us, and Lent offers us a path like that of the catechumenate, which, for the Christians of the early Church, just as for catechumens today, is an irreplaceable school of faith and Christian life. Truly, they live their Baptism as an act that shapes their entire existence.

"In order to undertake more seriously our journey towards Easter and prepare ourselves to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord - the most joyous and solemn feast of the entire liturgical year - what could be more appropriate than allowing ourselves to be guided by the Word of God? For this reason, the Church, in the Gospel texts of the Sundays of Lent, leads us to a particularly intense encounter with the Lord, calling us to retrace the steps of Christian initiation: for catechumens, in preparation for receiving the Sacrament of rebirth; for the baptised, in light of the new and decisive steps to be taken in the 'sequela Christi' and a fuller giving of oneself to Him".

"The Lenten journey finds its fulfilment in the Paschal Triduum, especially in the great vigil of the Holy Night: renewing our baptismal promises, we reaffirm that Christ is the Lord of our life, that life which God bestowed upon us when we were reborn of 'water and Holy Spirit', and we profess again our firm commitment to respond to the action of the Grace in order to be His disciples.

"By immersing ourselves into the death and resurrection of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are moved to free our hearts every day from the burden of material things, from a self-centred relationship with the 'world' that impoverishes us and prevents us from being available and open to God and our neighbour. ... Through the traditional practices of fasting, almsgiving and prayer, which are an expression of our commitment to conversion, Lent teaches us how to live the love of Christ in an ever more radical way.

"Fasting, which can have various motivations, takes on a profoundly religious significance for the Christian: by rendering our table poorer, we learn to overcome selfishness in order to live in the logic of gift and love; by bearing some form of deprivation - and not just what is in excess - we learn to look away from our 'ego', to discover Someone close to us and to recognise God in the face of so many brothers and sisters. For Christians, fasting, far from being depressing, opens us ever more to God and to the needs of others, thus allowing love of God to become also love of our neighbour.

"In our journey, we are often faced with the temptation of accumulating and love of money that undermine God's primacy in our lives. The greed of possession leads to violence, exploitation and death; for this, the Church, especially during the Lenten period, reminds us to practice almsgiving - which is the capacity to share. The idolatry of goods, on the other hand, not only causes us to drift away from others, but divests man, making him unhappy, deceiving him, deluding him without fulfilling its promises, since it puts materialistic goods in the place of God, the only source of life".

"The practice of almsgiving is a reminder of God's primacy and turns our attention towards others, so that we may rediscover how good our Father is, and receive His mercy.

"During the entire Lenten period, the Church offers us God's Word with particular abundance. By meditating and internalising the Word in order to live it every day, we learn a precious and irreplaceable form of prayer. ... Prayer also allows us to gain a new concept of time: without the perspective of eternity and transcendence, in fact, time simply directs our steps towards a horizon without a future. Instead, when we pray, we find time for God, to understand that His 'words will not pass away', to enter into that intimate communion with Him 'that no one shall take from you', opening us to the hope that does not disappoint, eternal life".

"The Lenten period is a favourable time to recognise our weakness and to accept, through a sincere inventory of our life, the renewing Grace of the Sacrament of Penance, and walk resolutely towards Christ.

"Dear brothers and sisters, through the personal encounter with our Redeemer and through fasting, almsgiving and prayer, the journey of conversion towards Easter leads us to rediscover our Baptism. This Lent, let us renew our acceptance of the Grace that God bestowed upon us at that moment, so that it may illuminate and guide all of our actions. What the Sacrament signifies and realises, we are called to experience every day by following Christ in an ever more generous and authentic manner".

VATICAN CITY, 22 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday 27 February Cardinal Fortunato Baldelli, penitentiary major of the Apostolic Penitentiary, will take possession of the diaconate of St. Anselm on the Aventine, Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta 5, Rome.
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- Appointed Bishop Gerald Cyprien Lacroix I.S.P.X., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Quebec, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese (area 35,180, population 1,192,108, Catholics 1,027,166, priests 737, permanent deacons 91, religious 3,515). The archbishop-elect was born in Saint-Hilaire de Dorset, Canada in 1957 he was ordained a priest in 1988 and consecrated a bishop in 2009.

- Appointed Bishop Gilles Lemay, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Quebec, Canada, as bishop of Amos (area 127,237, population 111,220, Catholics 88,875, priests 35, religious 96), Canada. He succeeds Bishop Eugene Tremblay, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Charles Drennan of the clergy of Christchurch, New Zealand, diocesan chancellor, as coadjutor of the diocese of Palmerston North (area 36,200, population 470,000, Catholics 59,099, priests 58, religious 141), New Zealand. The bishop-elect was born in Christchurch in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1996.

- Appointed Fr. Jean Kockerois of the clergy of the archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium, dean of Brussels-south; Fr. Jean-Luc Hudsyn of the clergy of the archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, episcopal vicar for Brabante Vallone, and Fr. Leon Lemmens of the clergy of Hasselt, Belgium, official of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels (area 3,635, population 2,524,000, Catholics 1,615,000, priests 1,909, permanent deacons 90, religious 3,761). Bishop-elect Kockerois was born in Brecht, Belgium in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1993. Bishop-elect Hudsyn was born in Uccle, Belgium in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1972. Bishop-elect Lemmens was born in Boorsem, Belgium in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1977.

- Appointed Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, as apostolic nuncio to Greece.

- Appointed Bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of Calicut, India, as secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of San Luis, Argentina, presented by Bishop Jorge Luis Lona, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Pedro Daniel Martinez.
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Monday, February 21, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 19 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received the rector, students and teachers of the Pontifical Filipino College, which this year is commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation by Blessed John XXIII.

Your "first and most important task", the Pope told them, speaking English, "remains to assist students in their formation in the sacred sciences. This the college has accomplished well". In this context he encouraged the students "to grow in faith, to strive for excellence in your studies, and to grasp every opportunity afforded you to attain spiritual and theological maturity, so that you will be equipped, trained, and stout-hearted for whatever awaits you in the future.

"As you know", he added, "a complete priestly formation includes not only the academic: over and above the intellectual component offered to them here, the students of the Filipino College are also formed spiritually through the Church of Rome's living history and the shining example of her martyrs, whose sacrifice configures them perfectly to the person of Jesus Christ Himself.

"I am confident that each of you will be inspired by their union with the mystery of Christ and embrace the Lord's call to holiness which demands from you as priests nothing less than the complete gift of your lives and labours to God. Doing so in the company of other young priests and seminarians gathered here from throughout the world, you will return home, like those before you, with a grateful and permanent sense of the Church of Rome's history, of her roots in the paschal mystery of Christ, and of her wonderful universality".

Pope Benedict then went on to encourage the priests "to consider the needs of those around them, including the members of the Filipino community living in Rome and its environs. In doing so, let the use of your time always strike a healthy balance between local pastoral concerns and the academic requirements of your stay here, to the benefit of all".

"I urge you all to return to the Philippines", he concluded, "with an unshakeable affection of your own for the Successor of Peter and with the desire to strengthen and maintain the communion which binds the Church in charity around him. In this way, having completed your studies, you will surely be a leaven of the Gospel in the life of your beloved nation".

VATICAN CITY, 19 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. and Archbishop Fernando Filoni, substitute for General Affairs, presented the Holy Father with the 2011 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio" or pontifical yearbook. Also present were the officials responsible for compiling and printing the volume.

A note concerning the presentation highlights some of the facts contained in the new edition. In 2010, the Pope erected ten new episcopal sees, one apostolic exarchate and one apostolic vicariate. One diocese was elevated to the rank of metropolitan see, two prelatures to the rank of diocese, and two apostolic prefectures and one apostolic administration to the rank of apostolic vicariates.

The number of Catholics in the world increased from around 1,166 million in 2008 to 1,181 million in 2009, an increase of fifteen million faithful which corresponds to a growth of 1.3 percent.

The distribution of Catholics between the continents is notably different from that of the general population. Between 2008 and 2009 the Americas maintained their proportion of the global population fixed at 13.6 percent; by contrast, over that two-year period Catholics there reached 49.4 percent of the Catholic population of the world. Over the same period, Asia's Catholic population increased from 10.6 percent to 10.7 percent of the world total, considerably lower than the 60.7 percent of the global population living in that continent. Europe's share of the world population is three percentage points lower than that of the Americas, but its share of world Catholics is nearly half that of the Americas, at 24 percent. For States in both Africa and Oceania, their share of the world population differs little from their share of the world Catholic population (respectively, 15.2 percent and 0.8 percent).

The note also indicates that the number of bishops grew between 2008 and 2009 from 5,002 to 5,065. As for priests, both regular and diocesan, their numbers have increased over the last ten years from 405,178 in 2000 to 410,593 in 2009, although their distribution differs considerably from continent to continent. Numbers of diocesan clergy are falling in Europe and increasing in all the other continents, while numbers of religious clergy are in general decline, with the exception of Asia and Africa.

Numbers of permanent deacons have increased by 2.5 percent, from 37,203 in 2008 to 38,155 in 2009. Their presence grew more rapidly in Oceania (19 percent) and in Asia (16 percent), while in Europe and America the increase was of 2.3 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively.

Among the pastoral workers who assist bishops and priests in their activities, female religious remain the largest group, although their numbers fell from 739,067 in 2008 to 729,371 in 2009. The crisis continues despite the fact that numbers have increased in Africa and Asia.

The number of candidates to the priesthood grew by 0.82 percent, from 117,024 in 2008 to 117,978 in 2009. Here too the different continents show a different evolution, for while in Africa and Asia numbers grew by 2.39 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively, in Europe and America they fell by 1.64 percent and 0.17 percent.
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- Msgr. Miguel Angel D'Annibale, vicar general of the diocese of San Isidro, as auxiliary of Rio Gallegos (area 265,614, population 300,000, Catholics 210,000, priests 55, permanent deacons 9, religious 94), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1985.

- Fr. Juan Nsue Edjang Maye, pastor of the parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and of Our Lady of Help on the Island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea, as bishop of Ebebiyin (area 12,000, population 204,000, Catholics 164,000, priests 33, religious 89), Equatorial Guinea. The bishop-elect was born in Mikomeseng-Kie Ntem, Equatorial Guinea in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1995.
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VATICAN CITY, 20 FEB 2011 (VIS) - In his remarks before praying the Angelus today with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope turned his attention to this Sunday's Bible readings which speak to us, he said, "of God's desire to bring mankind to share in His life: 'You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy' as it says in the Book of Leviticus.

"With these words and the precepts that follow", the Holy Father added, "the Lord invites the people He chose to remain faithful to their covenant with Him by following His path, and He founds social legislation on the commandment: 'you shall love your neighbour as yourself'. If, then, we listen to Jesus, in Whom God took a mortal body in order to come close to all men and to reveal His infinite love for us, we rediscover this same call, this same bold objective".

The Pope continued: "Jesus Himself says: 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven'. Those who welcome the Lord into their own lives and love Him with all their hearts are able to make a new start. They manage to accomplish the will of God: that of creating a new form of existence, inspired by love and destined for eternity. ... If we are truly aware of this fact and our lives are profoundly moulded around it, then our witness becomes clear, eloquent and effective".

The Holy Father then went on to recall the fact that 22 February marks the Feast of the Cathedra of St. Peter, the "first of the Apostles", to whom "Christ entrusted the role of master and pastor for the spiritual guidance of the People of God, that they might be raised unto heaven. Thus", he said, "I exhort all pastors 'to assimilate that new style of life which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and taken up by the Apostles'".

In his greetings delivered in various languages after the Angelus prayer, the Pope emphasised the importance of reconciliation. "When we suffer because of evil, persecution or injustice, let us avoid retribution, revenge and hatred, and pray for our persecutors", he said. "'Overcome evil with good'. Let us entrust all these adversities to God in order to achieve freedom and spiritual peace".

Finally, speaking Spanish, the Holy Father reaffirmed that today's liturgy invites us "to the fullness of Christian life and perfection of charity by forgiving our enemies and praying for our persecutors, which is the source of lasting reconciliation".
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VATICAN CITY, 21 FEB 2011 (VIS) - In the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace at midday today, the Holy Father presided at an ordinary public consistory for the canonisation of the following blesseds:

- Guido Maria Conforti, Italian archbishop-bishop and founder of the Pious Society of St. Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions (1865-1931).

- Luigi Guanella, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Servants of Charity and of the Institute of the Daughters of Our Lady of Providence (1842-1915).

- Bonifacia Rodriguez Castro, Spanish foundress of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of St. Joseph (1837-1905).

At the end of the meeting the Pope decreed that the canonisation ceremony for the three blesseds will take place in Rome on Sunday 23 October.

A number of cardinals then expressed to the Pope their desire to pass from the order of deacons to the order of priests:

- At the request of Cardinal Agostino Cacciavillan, the diaconate of the Holy Guardian Angels at Citta Giardino has been elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title and assigned to the same cardinal.

- At the request of Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, the diaconate of St. Eustace has been elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title and assigned to the same cardinal.

- At the request of Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, the diaconate of St. Nicholas in Carcere has been elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title and assigned to the same cardinal.

- At the request of Cardinal Jorge Maria Mejia, the diaconate of St. Jerome of Charity has been elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title and assigned to the same cardinal.

- At the request of Cardinal Walter Kasper, the diaconate of All Saints on the New Appian Way has been elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title and assigned to the same cardinal.

- At the request of Cardinal Roberto Tucci S.J., the diaconate of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Campo Marzio has been elevated "pro hac vice" to presbyteral title and assigned to the same cardinal.

With Cardinal Cacciavillan's request to move to the order of priests, the role of proto-deacon passes to Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, deacon of St. Apollinaris alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine, in which office he was confirmed by the Holy Father.
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Friday, February 18, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican Benedict XVI received prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Addressing them in English, the Pope recalled "the deep links which Catholics enjoy with the Successor of Peter", noting that this has "always been a significant characteristic of faith in your country, I pray that this communion will continue to grow and flourish as you consider the present challenges of your apostolate", he said.

"While the Philippines continues to face many challenges in the area of economic development, we must recognise that these obstacles to a life of happiness and fulfilment are not the only stumbling blocks that must be addressed by the Church. Filipino culture is also confronted with the more subtle questions inherent to the secularism, materialism, and consumerism of our times. When self-sufficiency and freedom are severed from their dependence upon and completion in God, the human person creates for himself a false destiny and loses sight of the eternal joy for which he has been made. The path to rediscovering humanity's true destiny can only be found in the re-establishment of the priority of God in the heart and mind of every person.

"Above all", the Holy Father added, "to keep God at the centre of the life of the faithful, the preaching of you and your clergy must be personal in its focus so that each Catholic will grasp in his or her innermost depths the life-transforming fact that God exists, that He loves us, and that in Christ He answers the deepest questions of our lives. Your great task in evangelisation is therefore to propose a personal relationship with Christ as key to complete fulfilment. ... At the same time, it must be recognised that new initiatives in evangelisation will only be fruitful if ... those proposing them are people who truly believe and live the message of the Gospel themselves".

The Pope then went on to remark on the positive impact basic ecclesial communities have had throughout the country, highlighting how the "the Church in the Philippines is fortunate to have a number of lay organisations which continue to draw people to the Lord. In order to confront the questions of our times", he explained, "the laity need to hear the Gospel message in its fullness, to understand its implications for their personal lives and for society in general, and thus be constantly converted to the Lord. I therefore urge you to take special care in shepherding such groups, so that the primacy of God may remain in the forefront".

In the Philippines, the Pope continued, faith "plays a very important role in the lives of many young people, a fact that is due in large part to the patient work of the local Church to reach out to youth at all levels. ... Care must also be given to showing young people the importance of the Sacraments as instruments of God's grace and assistance. This is particularly true of the Sacrament of Matrimony, which sanctifies married life from its very beginning, so that God's presence may sustain young couples in their struggles".

Finally the Pope noted how "the pastoral care of young people which aims to establish the primacy of God in their hearts, tends inherently to result not only in vocations to Christian marriage but also in plentiful callings of all kinds". However, "it appears that in many dioceses the number of priests and the corresponding number of parishes is not yet sufficient to meet the spiritual needs of the large and growing Catholic population. With you, I therefore pray that young Filipinos who feel called to the priesthood and the religious life will respond generously to the promptings of the Spirit".
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VATICAN CITY, 18 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today.

"The beatification of Servant of God Pope John Paul II will be a major ecclesial event divided into the following five stages:

"A preparatory vigil organised by the diocese of Rome will take place at the Circus Maximus on the evening of Saturday 30 April (preparation from 8.30 to 9 p.m., vigil from 9 to 10.30 p.m.), organised by the diocese of Rome which had the Venerable Servant of God as its bishop. The vigil will be led by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, His Holiness' vicar general for the diocese of Rome, while the Holy Father Benedict XVI will be spiritually present through video linkup.

"The beatification ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday 1 May in St. Peter's Square, presided by the Holy Father. Participation in the event does not require a ticket, although access to the Square and surrounding areas will be regulated by the police.

"The veneration of the remains of the new blessed will be possible for all faithful, beginning immediately after the beatification ceremony on Sunday 1 May. The remains of the new blessed will remain exposed for veneration in front of the Altar of the Confession in the Vatican Basilica for as long as the faithful continue to arrive.

"A Mass of thanksgiving is scheduled to take place in St. Peter's Square at 10.30 a.m. on Monday 2 May, presided by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.

"The interment of the remains of the new blessed in the Chapel of St. Sebastian in the Vatican Basilica will take place privately".
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- Fr. Stephen Dami Mamza of the clergy of Maiduguri, Nigeria, currently in Ireland where he is studying for a master's degree in human development, as bishop of Yola (area 34,850, population 3,445,000, Catholics 180,652, priests 37, religious 26), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in Bazza, Nigeria in 1969 and ordained a priest in 1996.

- Fr. Pio Goncalo Alves de Sousa, dean of the cathedral chapter of Braga, Portugal, as auxiliary of the diocese of Porto (area 3,010, population 2,100,000, Catholics 1,900,000, priests 506, permanent deacons 16, religious 1,348), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Lanheses, Portugal in 1945 and ordained a priest in 1968.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 17 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"Today, 17 February 2011, the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Dimitry Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation. Subsequently the president, accompanied by Sergei Lavrov, minister for foreign affairs, went on to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. who was accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"In the course of the cordial discussions, the parties expressed their pleasure at the good state of bilateral relations and highlighted their desire to strengthen them, also in the wake of the establishment of full diplomatic relations. The broad-ranging collaboration between the Holy See and the Russian Federation was recognised, both in the promotion of specifically human and Christian values, and in the cultural and social field. Subsequently, emphasis was given to the positive contribution inter-religious dialogue can make to society. Finally, attention turned to the international situation, with particular reference to the Middle East".
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VATICAN CITY, 17 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present an assessment of the Pauline Year (which took place from 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009). The occasion was also be used to present the book "L'Anno Paolino" by Graziano Motta.

The conference will be presented by Cardinal Francesco Monterisi and Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, respectively archpriest and archpriest emeritus of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls; Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, and Gianfranco Morelli, vice director and editor-in-chief for Rome of the Italian newspaper "Avvenire".

Cardinal Lanza di Montezemolo affirmed that the Pauline Year "was a year of grace which went beyond all expectations", focusing on the many initiatives that took place, including the restoration of part of the basilica, new services for pilgrims, an area set aside for the Sacrament of Penance, etc. Moreover, he noted, for the first time pilgrims and visitors were able for to see the sarcophagus of the Apostle Paul.

Cardinal Monterisi highlighted the "spiritual influence" of the Pauline Year, not only within the Catholic Church but also in other Christian confessions. At the closing of the Year, the Holy Father expressed the hope that "the fruits of this time will continue to develop, especially in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls", the cardinal said.

Gianfranco Morelli highlighted how observers "agreed on the fact that the Pauline Year provided, perhaps as never before, a concentration of extraordinary ecumenical moments, ... especially the many experiences lived with and in the Orthodox world". In this context he also mentioned "the three visits to Rome made during the Year by His Holiness Bartholomew I Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople".
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VATICAN CITY, 17 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Council of Cardinals for the Study of the Organisational and Economic Problems of the Holy See met in the Vatican on 15 and 16 February, under the presidency of Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B.

Cardinal Velasio De Paolis C.S., president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, outlined the Holy See's consolidated budget for 2011, as well as the consolidated budget of the Governorate of Vatican City State for the same year.

"The area of consolidation", reads a communique on the meeting, "concerns the offices of the Roman Curia, the Apostolic Camera, and the 'media' institutions of the Holy See: Vatican Radio, the Vatican Press, the 'Osservatore Romano', the Vatican Television Centre and the Vatican Publishing House.

"The Governorate, the administration of which is independent from the Holy See and from other institutions, supervises the economic requirements and territorial administration of the State, supplying the necessary support structures to the Apostolic See and its activities.

"The overall picture emerging from these budgets, though showing clear signs of improvement, is still marked by the uncertainty of the global economic system and by increased administrative costs. This is evident above all as regards the Holy See, which receives indispensable subsidisation from the free offerings of the faithful. The members of the council expressed their profound gratitude for the support people give, often anonymously, to the universal ministry of the Holy Father, and exhorted them to continue this good work.

"As usual, the budgets will be submitted for verification to the Prefecture for Economic Affairs".
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 16 FEB 2011 (VIS) - In his general audience today, held in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope focused his attention on St. John of the Cross, "spiritual friend to St. Teresa and, with her, reformer of the Carmelite religious family. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pius XI in 1926, he is traditionally known as the 'Doctor mysticus', the Mystical Doctor", the Holy Father said.

John was born to a poor family at Fontiveros near the Spanish town of Avila in 1542 and entered the Carmelite order at Medina del Campo. Ordained a priest in 1567, it was on the occasion of his first Mass that he met Teresa, "who explained to him her plan for the reform of the Carmelites". In his renewal of his religious profession John took the name "of the Cross" and collaborated enthusiastically in the process of reform, something "which brought him great suffering", and even led to his imprisonment following an unjust accusation. While preparing a journey to Mexico he fell seriously ill and died in December 1591. He was beatified by Clement X in 1675 and canonised by Benedict XIII in 1726.

St. John of the Cross, said Benedict XVI, "is considered one of most important lyric poets of Spanish literature. He wrote four major works: 'Ascent of Mount Carmel', 'Dark Night of the Soul', 'Spiritual Canticle' and 'Living Flame of Love'.

"In his 'Spiritual Canticle' St. John outlines the soul's journey of purification", the Holy Father added. "The 'Living Flame of Love' continues in the same line, describing in greater detail the condition of union with God. ... 'Ascent of Mount Carmel' outlines the spiritual itinerary from the point of view of a progressive purification of the soul, which is necessary in order to scale the heights of Christian perfection, symbolised by the summit of Mount Carmel".

The Pope continued his catechesis by explaining how "the 'Dark Night of the Soul' describes the 'passive' aspect; in other words, God's contribution to the process of purifying the soul. Human effort alone, in fact, is incapable of reaching the deepest roots of a person's bad inclinations and habits. It can halt them but not eradicate them completely. To do this, we need a special action by God which radically purifies the spirit and disposes it to the union of love with Him".

"The rate of increase of faith, hope and charity goes hand in hand with the work of purification and with progressive union with God, until attaining transformation into Him. When this goal is reached, the soul is immersed in Trinitarian life itself. ... This is why the Mystical Doctor held that there is no true union of love with God that does not culminate in Trinitarian union".

The Pope completed his remarks by asking whether the life of St. John of the Cross has anything to say to everyday Christians, or whether it is an example only for the few select souls who can follow the path of purification and mystical ascesis. "The journey with Christ, travelling with Christ ... is not an additional weight to the already sufficiently-heavy burden of our lives", he said. "It is something totally different. ... It is a light, a power which helps us carry our everyday burden. ... Allowing ourselves to be loved by Christ is the light which helps us to carry the daily burden, and sanctity is not a task we must accomplish on our own, a very difficult task. ... Let us ask God to help us become saints, to allow ourselves to be loved by God, which is the vocation and true redemption of us all".
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- Appointed Bishop Emanuel Messias de Oliveira of Guanhaes, Brazil, as bishop of Caratinga (area 14,927, population 678,000, Catholics 569,000, priests 76, religious 150), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Helio Goncalves Heleno, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Teodoro Mendes Tavares C.S.Sp., vicar general of the prelature of Tefe, Brazil, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Belem do Para (area 2,082, population 2,090,000, Catholics 1,527,000, priests 152, permanent deacons 49, religious 687), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Sao Miguel Arcanjo - Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1993.

- Appointed Fr. Jose Francisco Falcao de Barros of the clergy of the diocese of Palmeira dos Indios, Brazil, pastor of San Vincenzo de Paoli and chaplain of the military police in the State of Alagoas, as auxiliary of the military ordinariate of Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Paulo Jacinto, Brazil in 1965 and ordained a priest in 1991.
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 15 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today published the programme of Benedict XVI's forthcoming apostolic visit to the Italian cities of Aquileia and Venice, due to take place on 7 and 8 May.

The Holy Father will depart from Rome by plane in the early afternoon of 7 May. On reaching Aquileia he will meet with local citizens in Piazza Capitolo then move on to the basilica where he will attend a preparatory assembly for the Congress of Aquileia, which is due to be held at Pentecost 2012. In the late afternoon the Pope will move on to Venice where he will venerate the relics of St. Mark in the homonymous basilica.

On Sunday 8 May, Benedict XVI will preside at the celebration of the Eucharist in the park of San Giuliano at Mestre, followed by the praying of the Regina Coeli. During the afternoon, at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, he will preside at an ecclesial assembly to mark the end of the pastoral diocesan visit. Subsequently, in the city's Basilica della Salute, he will meet with representatives from the worlds of culture and the economy. Finally, he will bless the basilica's recently-restored Chapel of the Blessed Trinity and inaugurate the "Studium Generale Marcianum" Library.

The Holy Father's return flight will leave from Venice's Marco Polo airport and is scheduled to arrive in Rome at 8.30 p.m.
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VATICAN CITY, 15 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Evans Chinyama Chinyemba O.M.I., superior of the delegation of Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Zambia, as bishop of Mongu (area 88,000, population 696,000, Catholics 70,400, priests 31, religious 90), Zambia. The bishop-elect was born in Lukulu, Zambia in 1967 and ordained a priest in 2000. He succeeds Bishop Paul Duffy O.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
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Monday, February 14, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 12 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At midday today the Holy Father received priests and seminarians of the Fraternity of St. Charles Borromeo, which is currently celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. The group was accompanied Msgr. Massimo Camisaca, founder and president of the fraternity, and by Fr. Julian Carron, president of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation.

"This moment brings to mind my long friendship with Msgr. Luigi Giussani", said the Pope, "and stands as testimony to the fecundity of his charism. On this occasion I would like to respond to two questions which our meeting today raises in my mind: What is the place of the ordained priesthood in the life of the Church? What is the place of fraternal life in the experience of priests?

"The Christian priesthood is not an end unto itself. It was established by Jesus for the birth and life of the Church. ... The glory and joy of the priesthood is to serve Christ and His mystical Body. ... The presence of priestly vocations is a sure sign of the authenticity and vitality of a Christian community. God calls at all times, also to the priesthood. There is no true and fruitful growth in the Church without an authentic priestly presence to support and nourish it".

In this context the Pope expressed his gratitude "to everyone who dedicates their energy to the formation of priests and to the reform of priestly life. Like the rest of the Church, in fact, the priesthood also needs continual renewal, rediscovering the most essential traits of its being in the life of Jesus". Such renewal requires "profound education in meditation and prayer", as well as "a study of theology which enables Christian truths to be discovered in a way that associates them to the life of the individual and the community".

Going on then to refer to the importance of the shared life, the Holy Father explained that it is not simply "a strategy to respond to the lack of priests. Nor is it, per se, merely a stay against man's solitude and weakness. All this can also exist, of course, but only if the fraternal life is understood and experienced as a journey in which to immerse oneself in the reality of communion. ... No priest administers things which belong to him; rather, with his brethren he participates in a sacramental gift which comes directly from Jesus".

"Living with other people means accepting the need for one's own continual conversion. Above all it means discovering the beauty of such a journey, the joy of humility, of penance, but also of conversation, of mutual forgiveness, of reciprocal support".

Benedict XVI concluded by highlighting the importance "of abiding with Jesus in order to be able to abide with other people. This is the heart of the mission. In the company of Christ and of his brothers each priest can find the energy necessary to take care of mankind, to shoulder the spiritual and material needs he encounters, to teach - with ever-new words dictated by love - the eternal truths of the faith for which our contemporaries also thirst".
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- The resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Monrovia, Liberia, presented by Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis, upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop Lewis Zeigler.

- The resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Poitiers, France, presented by Archbishop Albert Rouet, upon having reached the age limit.

On Friday 11 February it was made public that he:

- Appointed Bishop John Barwa S.V.D. of Rourkela, India, as archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (area 32,440, population 12,047,000, Catholics 63,700, priests 120, religious 300), India. The archbishop-elect was born in Gaibira, India in 1955, he was ordained a priest in 1985 and consecrated a bishop in 2006. He succeeds Archbishop Raphael Cheenath S.V.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Elevated the apostolic prefecture of Likoula (area 66,044, population 167,000, Catholics 45,000, priests 8, religious 29), Republic of Congo, to the rank of diocese with the same territorial configuration as before, giving it the name of Impfondo. He appointed Fr. Jean Gardin C.S.Sp., apostolic perfect of Likoula, as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Saint-Pois, France in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1969.

- Appointed Fr. Victor Abagna Mossa, pastoral care worker among Congolese residents in the diocese of Namur, Belgium, as bishop of Owando (area 113,250, population 570,000, Catholics 397,064, priests 62, permanent deacons 1, religious 56), Republic of Congo. The bishop-elect was born in Makoua, Republic of Congo in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1974.
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VATICAN CITY, 13 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Commenting on today's Gospel reading (the continuation of the "Sermon on the Mount"), the Pope noted how, "following the 'Beatitudes', which are His programme for life, Jesus proclaims the new Law, His 'Torah' as our Jewish brothers call it. Indeed, the Messiah, at His coming, was also to bring the definitive revelation of the Law, and this is precisely what Jesus says: 'Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil'. Then, turning to His disciples, He adds: 'Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'. But", the Pope asked, "in what does this 'fullness' of Christ's Law, this 'higher' justice He requires, consist?

"Jesus explains it by a series of antitheses between the ancient commandments and His way of re-presenting them", Pope Benedict added. "He begins each phase with: 'You have heard that it was said ...', then affirms: 'But I say to you'. ... This way of speaking made a great impression on the people ... because that 'I say to you' meant that He was claiming the authority of God, source of Law, for Himself. The novelty of Jesus consists, essentially, in the fact that He 'fills' the commandments with the love of God, with the power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in Him. And we, through faith in Christ, can open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit, which makes us capable of experiencing divine love.

"Thus each precept becomes true as a requirement of love, and they all come together in one single commandment: love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself. 'Love is the fulfilling of the law', St. Paul writes".

"Faced with this requirement", the Holy Father went on, "the pitiful case of the four Roma children, who died last week on the outskirts of this city when their shack burned down, forces us to face the question whether a more united and fraternal society, more coherent in charity, in other words, more Christian, would not have been able to avoid this tragic event. And this also holds true for many other painful episodes, more or less well-known, which happen every day in our cities and countries".

"Perhaps it is no mere chance that Jesus' first great discourse is called the 'Sermon on the Mount'", the Holy Father concluded. "Moses climbed Mount Sinai to receive the Laws of God and bring them to the Chosen People. Jesus is God's own Son Who came down from heaven in order to bring us to heaven, to bring us to the heights of God, along the way of love. Indeed, He Himself is this way and all we have to do is to follow Him so as to put God's will into practice and enter His Kingdom of eternal life".
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VATICAN CITY, 14 FEB 2011 (VIS) - In the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace at midday on Monday 21 February, the Holy Father will preside at an ordinary public consistory for the canonisation of the following blesseds:

- Guido Maria Conforti, Italian archbishop-bishop and founder of the Pious Society of St. Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions (1865-1931).

- Luigi Guanella, Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Servants of Charity and of the Institute of the Daughters of Our Lady of Providence (1842-1915).

Thursday, February 10, 2011

VATICAN CITY, 10 FEB 2011 (VIS) - "Proposing Vocations in the Local Church" is the theme of the Pope's Message for the forth-eighth World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which is to be celebrated on 15 May, fourth Sunday of Easter. Ample extracts of the English-language version of the document are given below:

"The work of carefully encouraging and supporting vocations finds a radiant source of inspiration in those places in the Gospel where Jesus calls His disciples to follow Him and trains them with love and care. ... Before calling them, Jesus spent the night alone in prayer, listening to the will of the Father. ... Vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life are first and foremost the fruit of constant contact with the living God and insistent prayer lifted up to the 'Lord of the harvest', whether in parish communities, in Christian families or in groups specifically devoted to prayer for vocations.

"At the beginning of His public life, the Lord called some fishermen on the shore of the Sea of Galilee: 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men'. ... It is a challenging and uplifting invitation that Jesus addresses to those to Whom He says: 'Follow me!'. He invites them to become His friends, to listen attentively to His word and to live with Him. He teaches them complete commitment to God and to the extension of His kingdom in accordance with the law of the Gospel. ... He invites them to leave behind their own narrow agenda and their notions of self-fulfilment in order to immerse themselves in another will, the will of God, and to be guided by it. He gives them an experience of fraternity, one born of that total openness to God which becomes the hallmark of the community of Jesus".

"It is no less challenging to follow Christ today. It means learning to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, growing close to Him, listening to His word and encountering Him in the Sacraments; it means learning to conform our will to His. This requires a genuine school of formation for all those who would prepare themselves for the ministerial priesthood or the consecrated life under the guidance of the competent ecclesial authorities. The Lord does not fail to call people at every stage of life to share in His mission and to serve the Church in the ordained ministry and in the consecrated life".

"Particularly in these times, when the voice of the Lord seems to be drowned out by 'other voices' and His invitation to follow Him by the gift of one's own life may seem too difficult, every Christian community, every member of the Church, needs consciously to feel responsibility for promoting vocations. It is important to encourage and support those who show clear signs of a call to priestly life and religious consecration, and to enable them to feel the warmth of the whole community as they respond 'yes' to God and the Church. I encourage them, in the same words which I addressed to those who have already chosen to enter the seminary".

"It is essential that every local Church become more sensitive and attentive to the pastoral care of vocations, helping children and young people in particular at every level of family, parish and associations - as Jesus did with His disciples - to grow into a genuine and affectionate friendship with the Lord, cultivated through personal and liturgical prayer; to grow in familiarity with the sacred Scriptures and thus to listen attentively and fruitfully to the word of God; to understand that entering into God's will does not crush or destroy a person, but instead leads to the discovery of the deepest truth about ourselves; and finally to be generous and fraternal in relationships with others, since it is only in being open to the love of God that we discover true joy and the fulfilment of our aspirations".

"I address a particular word to you, my dear brother bishops. ... The Lord needs you to co-operate with Him in ensuring that His call reaches the hearts of those whom He has chosen. Choose carefully those who work in the diocesan vocations office. ... Your openness to the needs of dioceses experiencing a dearth of vocations will become a blessing from God for your communities and a sign to the faithful of a priestly service that generously considers the needs of the entire Church".

"I turn to those who can offer a specific contribution to the pastoral care of vocations: to priests, families, catechists and leaders of parish groups. I ask priests to testify to their communion with their bishop and their fellow priests, and thus to provide a rich soil for the seeds of a priestly vocation. May families be 'animated by the spirit of faith and love and by the sense of duty' which is capable of helping children to welcome generously the call to priesthood and to religious life. May catechists and leaders of Catholic groups and ecclesial movements, convinced of their educational mission, seek to 'guide the young people entrusted to them so that these will recognise and freely accept a divine vocation'.

"Dear brothers and sisters, your commitment to the promotion and care of vocations becomes most significant and pastorally effective when carried out in the unity of the Church and in the service of communion".

"The ability to foster vocations is a hallmark of the vitality of a local Church. With trust and perseverance let us invoke the aid of the Virgin Mary, that by the example of her own acceptance of God's saving plan and her powerful intercession, every community will be more and more open to saying 'yes' to the Lord Who is constantly calling new labourers to His harvest".
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VATICAN CITY, 10 FEB 2011 (VIS) - At 11 a.m. on Thursday 17 February in the Holy See Press Office, a conference will be held to present an assessment of the Pauline Year (which took place from 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009). The occasion will also be used to present the book "L'Anno Paolino" by Graziano Motta.

The conference will be presented by Cardinal Francesco Monterisi and Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, respectively archpriest and archpriest emeritus of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls; Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, and Gianfranco Morelli, vice director and editor-in-chief for Rome of the Italian newspaper "Avvenire".
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VATICAN CITY, 10 FEB 2011 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a note released by the Holy See Press Office this morning, concerning today's appointment of the new nuncio to Slovenia, who also exercises the function of apostolic delegate to Kosovo:

"It should be pointed out", the note reads, "that the appointment of an apostolic delegate falls within the organisational functions of the structure of the Catholic Church and hence has a purely intra-ecclesial character, being completely distinct from considerations regarding juridical and territorial situations or any other question inherent to the diplomatic activity of the Holy See. The mission of an apostolic delegate is not of a diplomatic nature but responds to the requirement to meet in an adequate way the pastoral needs of the Catholic faithful".
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